Implant surface topography influences osteoblastic proliferation, differentiation and extracellular matrix protein expressions. Previous researches proved that chemical surface modification of titanium implants could be used to improve Bone-to-implant contact. In this study, the surface topography, chemistry and biocompatibility of polished titanium surfaces treated with mixed solution of three acids containing ...

BACKGROUND: Oct4 and Nanog are two major transcription factors related to the stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between these two stemness markers with recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Expression of Oct4 and Nanog was evaluated by ...

Multiple gene knockouts play an important role in metabolic engineering. The flanked homology length, homologous to the region adjacent to the target gene, of the knockout fragments has a great effect on the efficiency of multiple gene knockouts, whereas the existing gene knockout methods can only supply a very short ...

Kraft et al. (Report, 23 September 2011, p. 1755) analyzed two data sets and concluded that "there is no need to invoke differences in the mechanisms of community assembly in temperate versus tropical systems to explain these global-scale patterns of β diversity." We show that their conclusion is based on ...

Young infants have been shown to represent the left versus right spatial category relations of a target object and a vertical referent bar. In the present study, we examined whether infants would represent left versus right when the vertical bar was removed from the stimulus display. In Experiment 1, 3- ...

Protein-carbohydrate non-covalent interactions are important to understand various biological processes in living organisms. One of the important issues in protein-carbohydrate binding is how the protein identifies the target carbohydrate and recognizes its conformational features. Surrounding water molecules are expected to play a critical role not only in mediating the recognition ...

PURPOSE: Quality of life (QoL) is a ubiquitous yet poorly defined concept; the precise determinants of QoL are rarely identified. We used pilot data from the GapS Questionnaire to investigate the most important determinants of QoL in children with chronic somatic illness. METHODS: We enrolled 92 participants including 60 parents ...

We have developed a very active bifunctional porphyrin catalyst showing a high turnover number (TON = 103 000) for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO(2) and epoxides under solvent-free conditions.

Specific RNA recognition is usually achieved by specific RNA sequences and/or structures. However, we show here a mechanism by which RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcripts are classified according to their length. The heterotetramer of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) C1/C2 measures the length of the transcripts like a molecular ...

Reperfusion results in a rapid reintroduction of oxygen, glucose, and other restricted components to an ischemic tissue. It brings with it not only the necessary components for cell survival but also a burst of oxidative stress and cellular damage. In this study, our primary aims were to investigate glucose as ...

To demonstrate that a euploid embryo derived from an oocyte with reciprocal aneuploid polar bodies is capable of producing a chromosomally normal child. A case report of maternal MI error compensation where single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray based comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) was performed on the 1st and 2nd polar ...

The parasitic plant species Cuscuta reflexa and Phelipanche aegyptiaca have independently developed parasitism, the former parasitizing on shoots and the latter attaching to roots. Regardless of these differences, the two species use similar organs, termed haustoria, to attach to the host plant. In this study, we show that this morphological ...

Nutritional supplementation with some amino acids may influence host's responses and also certain mechanism involved in tumor progression. It is known that exercise influences body weight and muscle composition. Previous findings from our group have shown that leucine has beneficial effects on protein composition in cachectic rat model as the ...

Use of antibiotic-loaded acrylic bone cement to treat orthopaedic infections continues to remain popular, but resistance to routinely used antibiotics has led to the search for alternative, more effective antibiotics. We studied, in vitro, the elution kinetics and bio-activity of different concentrations of meropenem-loaded acrylic bone cement. Meropenem-loaded bone cement ...

Although visual implant prosthesis projects are advancing, little exists in the literature on the factors that would lead an individual to volunteer for such an experimental procedure. Many ethical issues are raised in recruiting and involving individuals in experimental implant procedures, most involving autonomy and informed consent. This report provides ...

Evolution has provided a number of animal species with extraordinary phenotypes. Several of these phenotypes allow species to survive and thrive in environmental conditions that mimic disease states in humans. The study of evolved mechanisms responsible for these phenotypes may provide insights into the basis of human disease and guide ...

Artificial spin ice, made up of planar nanostructured arrays of simple ferromagnetic bars, is a playground for rich physics associated with the spin alignment of the bars and spin texture associated with the magnetic frustration at the bar vertices. The phase diagram is exotic, showing magnetic monopole-like defects and liquid ...

The working temperature of a photobioreactor under sunlight can be elevated above the optimal growth temperature of a microorganism. To improve the biohydrogen productivity of photosynthetic bacteria at higher temperatures, a [FeFe]-hydrogenase gene from the thermophile Clostridium thermocellum was expressed in the mesophile Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009 (strain CGA-CThydA) using a ...

Homeostasis in the immune system encompasses the mechanisms governing maintenance of a functional and diverse pool of lymphocytes, thus guaranteeing immunity to pathogens while remaining self-tolerant. Antigen-naïve T cells rely on survival signals through contact with self-peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules plus interleukin (IL)-7. Conversely, antigen-experienced (memory) T cells ...

Abstract BACKGROUND: Globally, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects approximately 3% of the population. The objective of this study was to review published work and determine the direct medical costs for diseases associated with HCV infection globally, with the exception of the United States. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted ...

Purpose: This pilot study systematically examined the correlations between the outcome variables pain intensity, disability and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and between these outcomes and known psychological risk factors for chronic low back pain (CLBP), such as depression, trait anxiety, avoidance- and endurance-related pain responses at two different assessment ...

1. Flavonoids are known to modulate catalytic activity and expression of various enzymes. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are the important biotransformation enzymes defending cells against potentially toxic xenobiotics. Therefore, the modulation of GST activity may influence detoxification of xenobiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory activity ...

Chameleons are arboreal lizards with highly independent, large amplitude eye movements. In response to an approaching threat, a chameleon on a vertical pole moves so as to keep itself away from the threat. In so doing, it shifts between monocular and binocular scanning of the threat and of the environment. ...

Routine DXA scanning in a 68-year-old asymptomatic man undergoing long-term bisphosphonate treatment for osteogenesis imperfecta showed unexplained loss of bone mineral density in two lumbar vertebrae. Subsequent radiographs revealed a 14-cm abdominal aortic aneurysm eroding the vertebrae. The importance of reviewing all the vertebrae in DXA scans is emphasized, and ...

Recent advances in elastography have provided several imaging modalities capable of quantifying the elasticity of tissue, an intrinsic tissue property. This information is useful for determining tumour margins and may also be useful for diagnosing specific tumour types. In this study, we used dynamic compression testing to quantify the viscoelastic ...

Today, in order to provide high-quality medical services and to extend resources and reduce costs, many large hospitals have adopted clinical guidelines as a structured way to manage medical activities. However, customization of clinical guidelines in order to treat a large number of patients is a major challenge. In this ...

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) is an important target for the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. Inhibition of DPP4 will improve glycemic control in such patients by preventing the rapid breakdown and thereby prolonging the physiological actions of incretin hormones. Known DPP4 inhibitors (including marketed drugs and those drug candidates) ...

In this paper, copper(i) amidate complexes (), proposed intermediates in copper-catalyzed Goldberg reaction, have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, (1)H NMR and X-ray crystallography. Ancillary ligand bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) has contributed greatly to the stability of the copper-amidate complexes due to its strong chelating ability and weak intermolecular ...

Purpose: To review the literature on cognitive functioning in persons with lower limb amputations. Method: A search of the MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science databases was carried out. Results: Thirty papers were found that met the inclusion criteria. The studies were characterised by heterogeneity of design, methodological quality, sample ...

A polymeric fluorescent sensor , consisting of A4 and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) units, was synthesized. exhibited dual responses to pH and temperature, and could be used as an intracellular pH sensor for lysosomes imaging. Moreover, it also could sense different temperature change in living cells at 25 and 37 °C, respectively.

The resection of the epileptogenic area of brain is very important and useful for the treatment of uncontrolled epilepsy, especially for the patients with stereotyped partial seizures. The critical point for successful epilepsy surgery is the precise identification of epileptogenic zone. Actually, we cannot precisely localize the epileptogenic zone in ...

One of the problems of praziquantel (PZQ) is its very low aqueous solubility. Moreover, its dissolution rate is considered the limiting factor for its bioavailability. This work correlates the physical properties and the dissolution behavior of PZQ-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solid dispersion (SD) at the ratios of 1:1 and 3:7 with its ...

Abstract Objective: To model the cost-effectiveness of paliperidone palmitate (paliperidone long-acting injectable; PLAI), a new once-monthly long-acting antipsychotic therapy, compared with risperidone long-acting injectable (RLAI) and olanzapine pamoate (OLAI), in multi-episode patients (two or more relapses) with schizophrenia in Sweden. Methods: A Markov decision analytic model was developed to simulate ...

Poly(n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate) (PBCA) nanoparticles have been successfully applied to deliver small-molecule drugs to the central nervous system (CNS). However, it is unclear whether PBCA nanoparticles can be used as the delivery system for large molecules to potentially treat traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we tested the capacity of PBCA ...

Abstract Sorting of membrane proteins in eukaryotic cells is a complex yet vital task that involves several 10,000 molecular players. Sorting takes place not only along the early secretory pathway, i.e., between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus, but also between other organelles, including exchange with the cell's plasma ...

A microwave-assisted strategy for synthesizing dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) capped fluorescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) has been developed. Irradiation with microwaves during synthesis enhanced the fluorescence quantum yield (QY) of AuNCs by about five-fold and shortened the reaction time from hours to several minutes. The as-synthesized DHLA-AuNCs possessed bright near-infrared fluorescence (QY: ...

A characteristic of apoptosis is the rapid accumulation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets, which are composed largely of neutral lipids. The proton signals from these lipids have been used for the non-invasive detection of cell death using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We show here that despite an apoptosis-induced decrease in the levels ...

Previous research has linked women's history of experiencing sexual assault with negative health outcomes; however, much of this research is over a decade old. Furthermore, little research has examined the relationship between sexual assault and women's sexuality. In the current study the authors aimed to assess the relation of experiencing ...

Multiple myeloma (MM) is preceded by the asymptomatic pre-malignant state, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Although MGUS patients may remain stable for years, they are at increased risk of progressing to MM. A better understanding of the relevant molecular changes underlying the transition from an asymptomatic to symptomatic disease ...

This study examined the effectiveness of the Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals (BRIDGES) peer-led education intervention in empowering mental health consumers to become better advocates for their own care. A total of 428 adults with mental illness were randomly assigned to BRIDGES (intervention condition) or a services as ...

Purpose: Patients with exercise capacity of <5 metabolic equivalents (METs) are considered to have a high risk of death. The aim of this study was to determine age-related differences in physical activity associated with an exercise capacity of ≥5 METs in chronic heart failure (CHF) outpatients. Methods: We enrolled 157 ...

The American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologist (ASCO/CAP) guidelines on breast cancer currently recommend a cold ischemic time of <1 h, although data are limited. Breast resection specimens were subjected to variable cold ischemic time periods (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 24, and 48 h) within the refrigerator and at ...

The occurrence and magnitude of disease outbreaks can strongly influence host evolution. In particular, when hosts face a resistance-fecundity trade-off, they might evolve increased resistance to infection during larger epidemics but increased susceptibility during smaller ones. We tested this theoretical prediction by using a zooplankton-yeast host-parasite system in which ecological ...

Low recanalization rates and poor clinical outcome have been reported after intravenous thrombolysis (IV-tPA) in carotid-T occlusion (CTO). We studied clinical outcome and imaging findings of MRI-based intravenous thrombolysis in CTO. Data of patients with acute ischemic stroke and CTO treated with IV-tPA within 6 h of symptom onset based on ...

To establish a system to study differentiation therapy drugs, we used the androgen-independent human prostate PC-3 tumor cell line as a target and α- and γ-tocopherol as inducers. Effects of α- and γ-tocopherol on the cell cycle, proliferation and differentiation, were examined. A more significant growth inhibition activity for γ- ...

The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae forms a specialized infection structure called an appressorium to breach the host-plant epidermis for successful infection. In this study, a mutant defective in appressorial penetration was isolated by a mutagenesis approach, in which an exogenous DNA fragment was found to be inserted into the ...

Long vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays were synthesized using an ultra-fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal process. Using this method, we were able to grow ZnO nanowire arrays at an average growth rate as high as 200 nm min(-1) for maximum microwave power level. This method does not suffer from the growth stoppage problem at ...

Volumetric cone-beam CT (CBCT) images are acquired repeatedly during a course of radiation therapy and a natural question to ask is whether CBCT images obtained earlier in the process can be utilized as prior knowledge to reduce patient imaging dose in subsequent scans. The purpose of this work is to ...

Sustained rise in cytosolic Ca(2+) and cell shrinkage mainly caused by K(+) and Cl(-) efflux are known to be prerequisites to apoptotic cell death. Here, we investigated how the efflux of K(+) and Cl(-) as well as the rise in cytosolic Ca(2+) occur prior to caspase activation and are coupled ...

The primary goal of the present study was to investigate the combined prospective of proliposomes and surface charge for the improved oral delivery of raloxifene hydrochloride (RXH). Keeping this objective, the present systematic study was focused to formulate proliposomes by varying the ratio of hydrogenated soyphosphatidylcholine and cholesterol. Furthermore, to ...